These people are from the slums, a stay in prison is like a holiday for them anyway. Won't do any good.
I know they seem like light sentences, but it really is the best they can do fairly. The riots have done so much damage and harm, and it seems justifiable for much longer sentences to be given, but the fact is, you can't sentence 'a mob' you can only sentence individuals. As a collective, they destroyed many parts of London, but each individual may 'only' have smashed a window or two or robbed the odd item. And they can only charge for the offences that can be proven as well.
Hopefully there'll be some individuals who get caught for doing a lot of damage (i.e. the people who set fire to buildings) who will get much tougher sentences as an example at least.
A video of a Malaysian student who was beaten up and then robbed by "Good Samaritans" has sparked an online campaign to help the 20-year-old.
Ashraf Haziq had a broken jaw and was missing some teeth and had his mobile phone and wallet stolen by yobs posing as Good Samaritans.
"I was cycling with another student to visit a friend when a gang of about 20 came towards me. I think some had knives. The youngest looked like he was primary school age. They came in a group, they didn't attack at first, they wanted the bicycle.
"And then there was someone who put a hand in my pocket to take my phone. He pulled the bicycle and I don't know what happened, I fell, and my mouth was bleeding.
The incident was filmed and then footage posted online.
It prompted widespread anger and the British Prime Minister David Cameron said the incident on Monday night left him "disgusted".
Doctors had put metal in his jaw which was broken in the incident.
PlayStation UK, offered to give the student a new PSP and games.
Haziq even plans to remain in Britain to finish his study despite his horrific ordeal and family pleas for him to return home.
"Britain is great. Before I came here I was very eager and I haven't got any ill-feeling about what happened.
"I feel very sorry for the people who did this. It was really sad because among them were children."
Asyraf, who lives in Barking, East London, has been in Britain only a month after coming to study accountancy.
He is one of eight students on a Malaysian government-backed scheme.
But his family still had to save for years and borrow money to fund his dream.
